Your out of your mind if you want to get rid of Brooks. You are obviously one of the many fairweather fans that we have. This is probably the worst game I have ever seen Brooks play in a Pens uniform. It just tells you how consistent he has been for many years. It just wasnt his night

Old Time Hockey wrote:Your out of your mind if you want to get rid of Brooks. You are obviously one of the many fairweather fans that we have. This is probably the worst game I have ever seen Brooks play in a Pens uniform. It just tells you how consistent he has been for many years. It just wasnt his night

Lol @ "fair weather fan". Like I said, I have thought this for a while.....tonight just confirmed. Tell me the last game where he played like the Brooks of old?

Has there been a better Pens defensemen this year, all season, in terms of consistency than Brooks Orpik? I guess Paul Martin ranks right up there. I feel they've done a pretty decent job, a couple of defensive-minded guys, both LHS playing together against tough competition every night...both have done a fine job especially relative to last season, when they were both pretty shaky all things considered, especially Martin...

Old Time Hockey wrote:Your out of your mind if you want to get rid of Brooks. You are obviously one of the many fairweather fans that we have. This is probably the worst game I have ever seen Brooks play in a Pens uniform. It just tells you how consistent he has been for many years. It just wasnt his night

Lol @ "fair weather fan". Like I said, I have thought this for a while.....tonight just confirmed. Tell me the last game where he played like the Brooks of old?

If by Brooks of old you mean playing great defensively, then pretty much all season...

Has there been a better Pens defensemen this year, all season, in terms of consistency than Brooks Orpik? I guess Paul Martin ranks right up there. I feel they've done a pretty decent job, a couple of defensive-minded guys, both LHS playing together against tough competition every night...both have done a fine job especially relative to last season, when they were both pretty shaky all things considered, especially Martin...

The only thing I'll give Orpik is that he seems to be in position most of the time, but he barley hits and then gets beat when he is in position.....it's just so frustrating sometimes.

Has there been a better Pens defensemen this year, all season, in terms of consistency than Brooks Orpik? I guess Paul Martin ranks right up there. I feel they've done a pretty decent job, a couple of defensive-minded guys, both LHS playing together against tough competition every night...both have done a fine job especially relative to last season, when they were both pretty shaky all things considered, especially Martin...

The only thing I'll give Orpik is that he seems to be in position most of the time, but he barley hits and then gets beat when he is in position.....it's just so frustrating sometimes.

I'm not so sure I agree with all that. I think the downtick in his hitting this year is circumstantial first of all and second of all, in his younger days he was a guy that was guilty of chasing hits around and losing positioning. With his skating ability and his ability to be positionally sound (when he's on his game), he's tough to beat really. I think we've seen that here this season. Martin and him have been a pretty effective shutdown pair as far as this team goes...a team that sorely needs one...two guys on the blueline make up 33% of the team's defense, I think 44 & 7 combine for damn near 75% of the hockey sense on the blueline for us any given night...Engelland's got little, Bortuzzo and Niskanen combine for whatever Engelland has...Letang has the rest...

Has there been a better Pens defensemen this year, all season, in terms of consistency than Brooks Orpik? I guess Paul Martin ranks right up there. I feel they've done a pretty decent job, a couple of defensive-minded guys, both LHS playing together against tough competition every night...both have done a fine job especially relative to last season, when they were both pretty shaky all things considered, especially Martin...

The only thing I'll give Orpik is that he seems to be in position most of the time, but he barley hits and then gets beat when he is in position.....it's just so frustrating sometimes.

I'm not so sure I agree with all that. I think the downtick in his hitting this year is circumstantial first of all and second of all, in his younger days he was a guy that was guilty of chasing hits around and losing positioning. With his skating ability and his ability to be positionally sound (when he's on his game), he's tough to beat really. I think we've seen that here this season. Martin and him have been a pretty effective shutdown pair as far as this team goes...a team that sorely needs one...two guys on the blueline make up 33% of the team's defense, I think 44 & 7 combine for damn near 75% of the hockey sense on the blueline for us any given night...Engelland's got little, Bortuzzo and Niskanen combine for whatever Engelland has...Letang has the rest...

Mikey. Real Talk.

Despres is a future top 4. I personally think it should be

Letang - DespresOrpik - MartinBortuzzo EngellandNiskanen

Nisky over Engelland, but you need Engelland for the crease clearing/tough bigger bottom pair. Nisky fills in once theres an injury.

Has there been a better Pens defensemen this year, all season, in terms of consistency than Brooks Orpik? I guess Paul Martin ranks right up there. I feel they've done a pretty decent job, a couple of defensive-minded guys, both LHS playing together against tough competition every night...both have done a fine job especially relative to last season, when they were both pretty shaky all things considered, especially Martin...

The only thing I'll give Orpik is that he seems to be in position most of the time, but he barley hits and then gets beat when he is in position.....it's just so frustrating sometimes.

I'm not so sure I agree with all that. I think the downtick in his hitting this year is circumstantial first of all and second of all, in his younger days he was a guy that was guilty of chasing hits around and losing positioning. With his skating ability and his ability to be positionally sound (when he's on his game), he's tough to beat really. I think we've seen that here this season. Martin and him have been a pretty effective shutdown pair as far as this team goes...a team that sorely needs one...two guys on the blueline make up 33% of the team's defense, I think 44 & 7 combine for damn near 75% of the hockey sense on the blueline for us any given night...Engelland's got little, Bortuzzo and Niskanen combine for whatever Engelland has...Letang has the rest...

Mikey. Real Talk.

Despres is a future top 4. I personally think it should be

Letang - DespresOrpik - MartinBortuzzo EngellandNiskanen

Nisky over Engelland, but you need Engelland for the crease clearing/tough bigger bottom pair. Nisky fills in once theres an injury.

What do you think?

Lucky guess on my given last name.

I don't agree with the pairings. I don't love the alternative either. I'm getting to a point where I realize that just complaining about a problem shows nothing, posing a solution shows something. I can't pose a reasonable solution quite yet, so I can't really comment.

Personally, I think Engelland can be jettisoned or relegated to the #7 or moved to the RW of the fourth line. Bortuzzo could be taught to clear the crease if properly coached. He's dumb as a thumb tack, but big as a house. Though he's all arms and legs right now...the organization has to groom him right to get what they want...if they don't, we have nothing there really...

Niskanen should play, but he can't play against top competition. Like I said all last year, I have reservations about Niskanen being in the top 4. I don't think people are realizing how much bad stuff seems to happen while Niskanen's out there...I'd like him to be a #5, but I also can't put him out there with another a Clueless Joe Jackson in Robert Bortuzzo. Letang and Despres seems like a good idea, or reasonably good idea...but throwing Despres into the fire with no backup plan is troubling to me. Martin and Orpik are good together, Martin has always played well with a physical defensive d-man by his side, this is no exception.

Unfortunately, I can't make the call on the top or bottom pairing. I need to evaluate more, I'd be tinkering with both pair #1 and #3 if I'm HCDB. I'd hire an intern to iso-cam from the top corner of the rink behind them at all times...make a detailed evaluation and come up with a solution. It might not be in house...

Honestly, I just don't know for sure what to do right now. I have an answer for lots of things, not this, not right now. Maybe at the deadline I'll know better...hopefully our coaching staff beats me to the punch so we're still playing in June...

Brooks had a bad game no question about it but to think of trading him is complete and utter nonsense. Anyone see in the PG that Mark Eaton is trying to make a comeback with the Pens? I think Boychuck days are numbered as a Pen. And finally I know we are in a defensive area but we should really be looking for a back up goaltender. Vokoun giving up 10 goals in 2 games is bad, but sitting on your arse on the ice and not being able to get back on your skates is ludacris for a goaltender

Orpik is good in Pittsburgh until Letang's new contract kicks in. At that point they will not be able to afford Orpik. All the young defensemen we have in our system will have plenty of opportunity in two years. We will see Martin and Orpik gone and replaced by youth. Letang, Despres, Niskanen and Bortuzzo are the only defensemen that should feel any security long term with this team.

Orpik has his first ever THREE Game point scoring streak (why did I not pick him again in pick a pen). He had a bad game, but he's had a few vs. Philly dating back to last year. Maybe they've studied him and got the book on him, not sure, but there was no "shutdown" happening last night.

Old Time Hockey wrote:Your out of your mind if you want to get rid of Brooks. You are obviously one of the many fairweather fans that we have. This is probably the worst game I have ever seen Brooks play in a Pens uniform. It just tells you how consistent he has been for many years. It just wasnt his night

Lol @ "fair weather fan". Like I said, I have thought this for a while.....tonight just confirmed. Tell me the last game where he played like the Brooks of old?

So what you're saying is that you've had an irrational hatred for him for a long time and are thrilled that he finally had a bad game so you could point to it as justification for your feelings. Got it.